Valve gear



1938' c. E.,HATHAWAY 2,125,150

VALVE GEAR Filed March 14, 1934 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CHM .5 ENZZNTZZM PAULAJZLaor A TTORNEYS.

y 6, 1938- c. IE. HATHAWA'Y 2,125,160

VALVE GEAR Filed March 14, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-2 INVENTOR. CH RLESE ATHAWAY PAUL A.77ILBOT ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 26, 1938 2,125,160

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE GEAR Charles E. Hathaway, New York, N.Y.

Application March 14, 1934, Serial No. 715,442

10 Claims. (01. 121-163) My invention relates to an improvement in Smilar reference characters refer to similar valve gears, andparticularly to the valve gear p rts throughout the several views of theacfor steam locomotives, and has for its object: p y ng draw n as hereindescribed.

To provide a valve lever and connections be- It s not the p p of s p fiati o tween it and the engines valve to increase the describe any o h Wwn Pa s Of the 0 relative speed of the motion of the engines steam11511341 locomotive Va g I101 t0 confine, by valve at and near the endof the piston and the so doing, my device to any one of a number ofValves travel to obtain more and quicker steam yp al valve moti ns om yd n p port opening and closing to eliminate early preing the valv s fmod rn locomotives, as y d d i i and reduce Wire drawing vice willimprove the events common to those 10 To provide a valve motion directlyconnected W in use. I to and operated by the engines crosshead and It ishowever important to consider the motion reverse link to give a maximumspeed of valve p d by the typ VelVe r o S ow ow a movement near the endsof the pistons stroke Change results by interposing my device betweenand a correspondingly retarded relative movethe usual Parts and theValve p a t ere- 15 merit of the valve at mid travel of the piston byby. Thus, the motion is typical and unchanged means of an arm mounted onand carried by the as t t e Operation o the link and the P val 1 rockingsaid link in the usual manner, as well as To provide an arm connectionbetween the the link block 3, and radius bar 4, as Well as engines valvelever and valve stem which efiects the cross heed moved y the parts l' achange in the relative travel of the admission scribed y said p valveand the valve lever which operates the The motion of e p a ad ever 6,also admission va1ve receives and imparts motion by means of the Toprovide an arm and links secured to the n secured t the orossheed driveny t valve lever to slow down the relative speed of the piston e usualmannersaid level 3,150 25 valve at and near the center of its travel,theremoves the valve lever Ill, direct relationship by obtaining laterre1ease of exhaust steam for to said crosshead 8, as is the case withvarious any given out off and therefore greater relative types of l veVa v gearsexpansion. The valve lever l0, however, is of a special 0 Toobtaina longer maximum out oil by retards n s it d s not ve th lv s ingthe motion of the valve near the center of and the valve [2, in a truerelation to any P the stroke of the piston and relatively hastening suchas I3, if secured thereto. As said lever In the motion of the valve atthe ends of the stroke rocks, the pin l3 at and near the end of the forincreasing the starting or lifting power of stroke of said lever is at agreater distance from th 1Qcomotiv the pin I 4, on which said valvelever is mounted 35 I accomplish these and other objects by the androcks. This change in relationship between construction herein describedand illustrated in he p ns I3 and I4 may be seen by referring to theaccompanying drawings forming a part herethe diagrammaticview Fig. 6, inwhich the end of of, i which; the stroke of the parts is designated byA. Fig. 1 is an elevation and general view showing Referring to Fig. 6and the other views of the 40 the application of my device. drawings,the motion of the parts of my device Fig. 2 is a section near the centerline of the may be followed. The Valve lever I0 is moved by valve stemand other parts of my device. the pin I5, which travels in directrelation to the Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the accelerator maincrosshead 8 of the engine, which is conlink. nected to the piston 9 inthe usual manner, there- 5 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of theaccelerator fore a true relation of travel is imparted to said lever orarm. valve lever ID by the piston.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view and section of the The other motion to thevalve lever I0 is acvalve lever and valve crosshead. complished throughthe radius rod or bar 4,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the elements of which is moved by itsconnection to the link block 50 my device showing three positions andtheir 3 and link I, which is in turn moved by the pin 2 efiect of theradial relationship to the valve in the usual manner. The bar 4 isconnected at lever in increasing the speed of the valve near one end tothe crosshead 5, to which the pin I4 the ends of its travel with respectto the speed is secured. The lever I0 is swingingly mounted near thecenter of the travel of the valve. on the pin l4, which, in itshorizontal movement 55 effects an angular change in the position of saidlever independent of the motion imparted to it by the pin I5.

The motion of the valve and valve stem, and the unusual manner ofchanging the relative speed of travel of the valve may be betterunderstood by the fact that the pin I3 in the usual construction wouldbe fixed in the lever I and move about the pin I4 at a fixed radius,thus moving the valve by means of the link 2I and valve stem II in truerelation to the lower end of the valve lever II]. I however, haveinterposed the arm II,

which is connected to the lever II) by means of the pin I6, said pin I6moving about the pin I4, while the pin I3 instead of being attached tothe lever III is fixed in one end of arm I! and moves about the pin I6.The opposite end of said arm and the pin I8 fixed therein is effected bythe link I9 which is secured to said pin I8 at one end and the pin 20 atits opposite end. Said pin 29, like I the pin I4, is fixed in thecrosshead 5. By referring to Fig. 6, the movement of pin I3 may betraced as it travels along the path at instead of along the path 11 asin the case of the usual valve connection to the valve lever.

Three positions of travel are given and designated by A, B and C, aswell as shown by a full line for A position, a dotted line for Bposition and a dot and dash line for C position. C positionrepresents-the center position of the parts, while one of the endpositions is shown and designated by A. The movement of the pins I4 and20 is not attempted, as the diagram would be too confused by the addedlines, nor is it the purpose of Fig. 6 to attempt to show all motionimparted to the valve stem and the pin I3. The object is,'however,-toshow that the distance between the pins I3 and I4 is greater at the endof travel as at A than when at C. By changing the distance radially ofthe pin I3 to the pin I4, the relationship between the pins'I3 and I4constantly changing, and I5 remaining fixed, causes the relative travelof the valve stem II to be increased at A as compared with C. Therefore,as the piston travels in true relationship with the pin I5, the pin I3,travelling at a shorter distance from the pin I4 at the center than atthe ends of the travel of the lever III, as may be seen by the line a:of Fig. 6, the relative valve movement is accelerated at the ends of thestroke as compared with the center. The pin I6-travelson an are aboutthe pin I4, while the pin. I8 travels on an are about the pin 20, whichcauses the arm I! to be moved, carrying the pin I3 at its lower endalong an arc about the pin I6 tangent to the center line of the pins I3,I4 and I5, which is also a radial line therefore from the pin I4.

Thus, it will be seen that said pin I3, will accelerate the movement ofthe valve stem II, and valve I2, at the position A, which is due to arelative greater radial distance between the pins I3 and I4 at thisposition, and thus increases the relative travel in proportion to thetravel of the pin I 5, directly connected to and moved by the crosshead8. The movement of the crosshead 5, and the pin I4 on which the lever I0is swingingly mounted is connected to and moved by the pin 2, when saidcrosshead 8 is at the end of its stroke. The crosshead 5 moves in theopposite direction from the pin I5 at this, point when the link block 3is off the central position in the link I.

At the position C it will be seen by referring to Fig. 6, the radialrelationship between the pins I3 and I4 is greatly reduced, which causesa slower motion to the valvestem and valve I2 at this valve gears incommon use.

center position in relation to the travel of the pin I5, which has theusual relative speed of travel of the crosshead 8.

At the positions A and B the pin 2, is at its greatest relative speed oftravel in relation to the crosshead 8, which is at the end of its strokeas the valve has just opened to admit steam to force the return of thepiston 9, all of which makes the rapid movement of the valve at and nearthe end of its travel of the greatest importance when the events arecritical, due to the events which occur near the end and beginning ofthe stroke of both the valve and piston.

The line a: in Fig. 6 represents the general path of travel of said pinI3, while the line y would be the path of travel of the pin I3, if itwere fixed in the lower end of said valve lever ID, as is customary andtypical of the various locomotive The pin. I6, in the end of the valvelever I0, oscillates and swings around the pin I4, the upper end of thearm II, being forced to travel, due to the link I9, and

pin I8, around the pin 20, causes the swinging,

of said arm II, by the radial difierence between the pins I4 and I6, andthe pins 20 and I8.

The pin I3, is connected and imparts motion to the valve I2, and valvestem II, by means of the link 2|, and pin 22, of the valve crosshead 23,which is guided in the usual manner.

In addition to the motion of the valve lever It, due to its connectionsto the crosshead 8, the

usual motion through the radius rod 4, to the crosshead 5, is provided.The consequent relative slowness of travel of said crosshead 8, at theend of its stroke, like the typical valve gear, is

. offset by the motion of the maximum speed imparted in moving the crosshead 5, through the radius rod 4, link I, and pin 2. Howeverydue to thecharacteristics of my device in accelerating speed near the ends oftravel by the valve, addi tional rapidity of valve movement results,causing the important events to take place.

This rapid movement of the .valve hereinbefore described, at and nearthe ends of its travel of any given distance, naturally means a slowermovement at its mid travel, and causes quicker opening of the steamports, a consequent quicker closing of steam ports and later opening ofexhaust, all of which make for ideal valve events.

In Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, the aperture I8 receives the pin I8,the aperture I3 the pin I3, and the aperture 20' the pin 2!].

I have shown but one construction as well as one application of myinvention, which obviously may be modified to suit the conditions ofconstruction, as may seem mostdesirable. A great variety of valvemotions and gears may be improved by the'application of my device. Itherefore do not wish to be limited to the detailed construction shown;as I may depart therefrom within the scope of my invention, assuccinctly set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a valve motion, a valve crosshead, a pin 7 head, and radius barconnected thereto, a valve lever swingingly mounted on a pin mounted insaid valve crosshead, a pin mounted in said valve lever and an armswingingly mounted on said pin at a point between its ends, a pin andlink connecting one end of said arm to the crosshead on which said valvelever is swingingly mounted, a pin and link connecting the opposite endof said arm to the engine valve whereby said pin in said arm connectingthe engine valve is forced to travel radially to and away from the saidpin on which said valve lever is swinginglymounted to vary the relativespeed of said valve in relation to the speed of said valve crosshead andpreventing said valve lever and the valve end of said radius bar fromvertical movement.

3. In an engine valve motion, a reverse link motion moved by the crankshaft of the engine having a radius bar and crosshead moved horizontallythereby, a piston, an engine valve operated by said valve motion andcrosshead and a valve lever moved by said piston and a pin held in thecrosshead to which the radius bar is connected swingingly mounting saidvalve lever, and an arm swingingly mounted on said valve lever, a pinbetween the ends of said arm swingingly mounting said arm to said valvelever, one end of said arm being connected to said crosshead to whichsaid radius bar is connected and the opposite end being connected to theengine valve whereby an acceleration of motion is accomplished at theends of travel of the engine valve in relation to the movement of saidvalve crosshead.

4. In a valve motion for engines having an engine crosshead, a valvecrosshead and a radius rod connected to and guided by said valvecrosshead imparting motion thereto, a valve lever pivotally connected tosaid valve crosshead and connected to the crosshead of the engine, anarm and a pin between its ends swingingly connecting said arm to the endof said valve lever, a link connecting one end of said arm to said valvecrosshead the other end of said arm positioned to travel radially to andfrom the pivotal connection of said valve lever to said valve crossheadand connected to the engine valve thereby afiecting the relativemovement of the engine valve in relation to the movement of the valvelever.

5. In an engine valve motion having a valve lever and a radius rod, avalve crosshead and a valve operated thereby, means restraining saidvalve lever and radius rod from vertical motion at its every stroke andmeans comprising a link connected to and operated by said valve leverand connected to said valve and radius rod to accelerate the movement ofsaid valve at the ends of its movement in relation to the movement ofthe valve lever and radius rod.

6. In an engine valve motion having a valve lever and radius rod andvalve operated thereby, means operated by said valve lever and radiusrod for accelerating the relative movement of said valve at the ends ofits movement in relation to the movement of said valve lever and radiusrod and means restraining the vertical movement of said valve lever andradius rod at each stroke and a link connecting said valve acceleratingmeans to the engine valve.

'7. In an engine valve motion having a valve a valve crosshead lever anda radius rod and a valve operated thereby, means'restraining said valvelever and radius rod from vertical motion at the ends of each stroke andmeans comprising a link connected to and operated by said valve leverand connected to said valve and radius rod to accelerate the relativemovement of said valve at the ends of its movement in relation to themovement of the valve lever and radius rod, and a valve crossheadsecured to said engine valve having accelerated movement rela-' tive tothe movement of said valve lever and radius rod which impart motion tosaid valve crosshead.

8. In an engine valve motion having a valve, a valve lever and radiusrod and valve operated thereby, means operated by said valve lever andradius rod for accelerating the relative movement of said valve at theends of its movement in relation to the movement of said valve lever andradius rod and means restraining the vertical movement of said valvelever and radius rod at the ends of each stroke and a link connectingsaid valve accelerating means to the engine valve, and a valve crossheadsecured to said engine valve having accelerated movement relative to themovement of the valve lever and radius rod which impart motion to saidvalve crosshead.

9. In an engine valve motion having a valve, a valve lever and radiusrod and valve operated thereby, means operated by said valve lever andradius rod for accelerating the relative movement of said valve at theends of its movement in relation to the movement of said valve lever andradius rod and means restraining the vertical movement of said valvelever and radius rod at each stroke and a link connecting said valveaccelerating means to the engine valve and a Valve crosshead secured tosaid engine valve having accelerated movement relative to the movementof the valve lever and radius rod which impart motion to said valvecrosshead, and a crosshead directly connected to said radius rod havinga movement varying from the movement of said Valve crosshead.

10. In an engine valve motion having a valve, a valve lever and radiusrod and valve operated thereby, means operated by said valve lever andradius rod for accelerating the relative movement of said valve at theends of its movement in relation to the movement of said valve lever andradius rod and means restraining the vertical movement of said valvelever and radius rod at the ends of each stroke and a link connectingsaid valve accelerating means to the engine valve and a valve crossheadsecured to said engine valve having accelerated movement relative to themovement of the valve lever and radius rod which impart motion to saidvalve crosshead, and a crosshead directly connected to said radius rodhaving a movement varying from the movement of said valve crosshead,said valve lever being connected to and carried by said crosshead andconnected to said valve crosshead.

CHARLES E. HATHAWAY.

